Tag Archives: tools

Beginning screenwriters often want to begin writing screenplays but don’t know where to start. They want to create professional looking scripts but don’t want to shell out large amounts of cash for Final Draft (the industry’s standard scriptwriting software) — nor should they. There are a few free screenwriting programs available for the budding screenwriter, but the major two are Celtx and Adobe Story Free.

Two Free Screenwriting Software

1.) Celtx has risen to be the most popular free scriptwriting software out there. It has evolved from its simple beginnings as a stand alone desktop software for writing plays and screenplays to its current flashy form, which includes cloud storage and online collaborative tools. It has templates for stageplays, screenplays, audio plays, and comic books. For extra features, users will need to purchase the full version — but the free version works fine for most people.Continue reading →

My ability to write in the nonfiction genre–whether it’s a creative flash piece, a commentary, or a fieldwork project–has improved greatly in the past few months. Studying how both famous authors (such as George Orwell and Tom Wolfe) and lesser known authors (such as Lillian Ross and Michael Winerip), use literary techniques to heighten their observations and research has allowed me to experiment and develop my own creative voice.

Using these literary techniques and writing nonfiction outside of an academic tone and purpose–especially during my senior year–has been both refreshing and useful. I’ve enjoyed writing for purposes that weren’t tied to proving a clever–but ultimately useless and distorted–thesis or being tethered to the tangential ideas or biases of a GSI in order to obtain a good grade. Instead, focusing on writing in a meaningful and effective manner–along with the readings, exercises, and assignments demonstrating this–has allowed me to further practice writing that has greater longevity and usefulness (for both creative and non-creative purposes): communicating in an accessible manner, eschewing jargon and obscurity, and using literary techniques to emphasize the truth of experiences or details.